Sunday, April 27, 2008

We have been having a fun weekend so far with the grandbaby. Though he is not so much a baby anymore since he is 2 1/3 years old already. In the month since we were last here he has added so much to his vocabulary and skill arsenals! He is quite proficient with the cordless screwdriver/drill his Pa-pa gave him last month and wants to 'fix' everything. Yesterday he took out one of the screws holding the front door handle on! He is also becoming something of a cuddler - something he has never been really big on. Last night when I was resting on the couch he came over and pretended to go nite-nite with me.

I could go on and on about him but I will refrain!

I did the handsewing on the binding on a quilt my daughter made for the SIL's aunt so she just needs to add a label and get it in the mail. I have also been working on the Spring Fling Round Robin quilt. It is progressing quite nicely and I am happy with how it is turning out. Maybe a picture will be posted this week and it will be off to its new home.

Much will depend on the weather as I need to take advantage of good weather and get some gardening done. Before we left on Friday I took the roto-tiller out for a spin and knocked down the weeds a bit more.

My sister told me about a used long-arm machine that is for sale and I am tempted but the price is just more than I have available at this time. She even offered to 'store' it in her basement until I have a spot for it. :-)

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

My daughter called and asked me to pick up some ladyfingers before heading over to her house so she can make Tiramisu this weekend. So I went to the local supermarket and they have none. I checked online and found that they are available at Trader Joe's seasonally. I called the closest TJ's and was told no, they aren't available now. So now I am confused - i thought they were long, skinny cookie type things but being seasonal usually implies a fruit or vegetable type thing. Where do they grow them? When are they at their peak of goodness?

It is so exciting to take two items off the WIP list and add two to the finished list! Yesterday I finished quilting the first Hawaiian flimsy and got started on the binding and today I did the second and finished off both bindings. What a great feeling! Now I can focus on my current Spring Fling Round Robin so it can get off to the person who will be doing the quilting and binding and then sending it off to its new owner.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

As I said in my last post, I was getting antsy to put some of my 16-patch blocks together. I decided I would use various neutrals for the sashing strips so I can add more fabrics in if needed as more blocks get done. As you can see, I don't have that last seam finished but I have been working on other things...

On Friday the mail brought my next round of the Spring Fling Round Robin. I have the machine sewing done but have quite a bit of hand-sewing to do yet. I think it will turn out well.

Yesterday I got my two Hawaiian print flimsies pin basted and I am about half way on the quilting of one of them. Since I machine quilt standing up at my sewing table I can only quilt so much before my legs and feet start complaining! I am hoping I can finish quilting the two tops before the weekend.

This weekend DH and I are heading over to our daughter's house. We have a van full of things for their home: a freezer, a used kitchen cabinet we got from a customer, a playpen, a computer, a small metal table and, of course, lots of lovin' for the grandson! Should be a fun weekend, though I will be missing the dinner/auction that I donated three quilts to.

I got emails from my two oldest nieces yesterday. The oldest is needing new diapers and since I 'made' some for our grandson she wondered if I would make some for her son. My technique for making diapers is quite involved: buy a bolt of diaper flannel, cut it into squares, serge the raw edges and, oh, wait, that was it! I am looking into the cost of a bolt of diaper flannel and how many diapers that will make and what the cost of shipping is and we will see if I make them or if she just orders the flannel and hems the edges.

The second oldest niece invited me to a showing of HMS Pinafore on Thursday evening! She has access to some free tickets and we will meet for dinner before. It will be fun to get caught up with her busy life! I might even go into town early and get a pedicure (pretty toenails might just inspire the weather to move closer to summer - we actually had snow this weekend!).

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Tomorrow I will be getting my offering for the Doll Quilt Swap 3 in the mail to its new home. I hope it is loved. It took it to craft night last night and we realized that it would be perfect in my neighbor's redecorated family room so I guess her birthday quilt this year will be brown and red. I also got a hint from another crafting friend that she has just repainted her sewing room apple green so she might need something to help decorate in there.

I decided that I just don't have enough time to make the quilt that is in my head for the Relay for Life drawing so I am going to finish off one of the Hawaiian print quilts I made a couple of years ago for that. That means I need some backing fabric so I went to my LQS and found a couple of pieces I will use to finish off both of them so I have an extra finished quilt on hand for ?

While at the store I also picked up this fabric that I am using for inspiration for a baby quilt for my new grandchild that will be born sometime on or around July 10. Not sure exactly how I will use it but I am thinking I might make some paper pieced balloons so if anyone has a pattern please let me know.

As of last night I have 43 little 16-patch blocks finished. I am thinking I will use muslin as sashing with miscellaneous setting squares from my basket of little squares. I am getting antsy to see what it is going to look like so I might start putting together some groups of blocks to get an idea - maybe 4X4 since I don't know how big the quilt will end up until I get all the blocks done. So if I get some cutting done before I go out to watch TV you might get to see a sneak peak tomorrow.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

I have been sewing but don't have any completed things to show. This is the stack of Road to Jericho blocks I have done so far. The first batch was 21 blocks and this morning I finished up another 44. I must have another 50-60 blocks left to sew - not sure exactly. I am also not sure exactly whether they will be made into one big quilt or 2-3 smaller quilts.

I got a label on a baby quilt for a friend's granddaughter. I hope to deliver that this next week and get a chance to hold the baby!

While watching TV I continue to hand sew the little 1.5" squares together into strips and then into 16 patch blocks. So far I have 24 blocks together and strips for at least 25 more blocks. That means I have put together more than 800 little squares so far and I have just scratched the surface. I have tentatively named this project Ludvina's Legacy after my Aunt Lou who originally gave me most of the squares.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

I got lots of input on this little quiltlet. The consensus was that it could use a little more yellow so I added some by using a scrappy binding. I think in person it didn't need the additional yellow as much as it seemed in the photos. I also added yellow to the back in the form of a flower to be used as the label. I need to get it in the mail but it will wait until after the next craft night at my neighbor's house so the girls can see it. Please note that the brown is the same on both front and back even though the photos don't indicate it!

For this afternoon/evening I need to get a label made for a baby quilt to give to the granddaughter of a friend of mine. The baby's mom is going through a hard time right now so I have offered my support and baby-sitting skills to help her get through. When the label is done I have to figure out what the next project will be.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

So I got the center done on my little frame quilt and I am not sure anymore. I wonder, does the frame look too big for the center? Should I finish it and send it to my swap partner or should I start over? Help!

Friday, April 4, 2008

The sun was out yesterday so apple tree pruning was the first order of the day. I did one whole tree and parts of two others. One more day of sun and I should have them finished. Most of what is left needs the ladder. I also got a couple of loaves of bread made and a little work on my Doll Quilt Swap offering. Can you tell where I am going with this? I also got some more strips of 1.5" squares put together while I watched TV to rest my weary body!

Thursday, April 3, 2008

I just couldn't wait. Last night I took the 4-piece strips to craft night and started putting them together into squares. I got seven done! And they are quite cute! Now my resolution is to make the squares into strips at home and then I can make the strips into squares at craft night. Then I at least see progress. Still not sure if they will just go right together or if I will use sashing or alternating squares when making the quilt. I am leaning toward sashing but it will depend on how many 16-patches I end up with in the end. I could make them into 64-patches and use sashing. There are lots of options!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

I have been working on several things the last few days - one of which is a secret for now so no pictures until it is revealed to its recipient. I have also been working on putting together my 1.5" square collection. That is a hand sewing job for craft nights and while watching TV. Here is what I have done so far. I am first putting together little strips of 4 squares. When I have a few more put together I will put those together into 16-patch squares and then put them together into a quilt top. Not sure about sashing between the squares yet but that decision is a long way off!

Finally, since I got my next step of the Spring Fling Round Robin in the mail and also my Spring edition of the Four Seasons Quilt Swap off to its new home I can now think about getting going on my effort for Doll Quilt Swap III. This second picture is what I am thinking about right now. It is the leftovers from the border of the wedding quilt my sister and I are making for our niece. This will be similar to my little froggy quiltlet, but I am not sure exactly what will go in the middle. I do have ideas however. If I don't like how it turns out (or I like it too well) I might have to come up with another idea.